CHEM 611 - Chemical and Statistical Thermodynamics

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Designed for students who have already seen classical thermodynamics, equilibrium chemistry, spectroscopy and quantum mechanics in physical chemistry, this course bridges the fundamental aspects of thermodynamics and quantum chemistry. Thermodynamics is concerned mainly with the properties and actions of the bulk materials, while quantum chemistry looks in detail at individual atoms and molecules. Statistical thermodynamics brings these two different viewpoints together where the bulk material properties and actions are predicted from the properties of the microscopic atoms and molecules. Statistical thermodynamics provides a set of tools for modeling molecular behavior and how it is realized in the macroscopic realm. Most importantly, statistical thermodynamics gives a language for interpreting experiments. Chemicals react and rearrange. Fluids boil, freeze, and evaporate. Proteins fold. This course will study the forces that drive these (and other) processes. In addition to learning these fundamental principles, graduate students taking this course will perform a special project using the tools of statistical thermodynamics on a defined topic of their choosing.
Course ID: 102319
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor
Components: Lecture
Grading Method: R